Book discussion for "Cart Before The Corpse"....**SPOILERS**

[KanoasDestiny]

If you have read this book, then please let us know what you thought of it. What was your overall opinion (likes/dislikes) of the story? Will you purchase the rest of the books in the series?

**If you haven't read (or finished) this book, then you may want to stop reading here.**

 

[Jill]

I really liked this book, and if it becomes a series, I will read (listen) to the other books, too. I liked the character a lot, and I loved the references to horses and driving and knowing what was meant. I liked the main characters and I feel that it really could become a series because it left me wanting to know more about what happens next for the major players.

I listened to it in all one night. I couldn't sleep and I did speed up the narration, but I did really enjoy it. I don't really ever read books with a horse theme or foundation, much as I love horses, so wasn't sure what I'd think of it. I really liked it and I liked it better than the one last month (yeah, which was one I suggested might be fun!)

The only way I think it may have been a little better (what do I know, I'm not an author!) is if the "one who done it" was featured a little bit more throughout the book... But only a touch more. I thought it all flowed well and was interesting for the mystery as well as the characters and enviroment.

Betting most of us here will like it, too! Hope so

 

[Remali]

Hoping to get out and pick up the book in the next day or two... I'm a bit late, but better late than never, ha.

 

[susanne]

I love your poodle, Remali! Toy or miniature?

 

[Remali]

Thanks Susanne, he's a toy. His name is Bailey, he's 12 years old and still acts like a puppy, that Poodle energy!

 

[susanne]

.

He's beautiful!

Our late Toy Poodle, Shadow, lived to be 17, and for 16 of those years he still acted like a puppy. We all (people and furkids) miss him terribly.

 

[lucky seven]

I just started reading, so far I like it.

 

[Kim~Crayonboxminiatures]

I just finished it, I really enjoyed it! I liked the characters, and of course the mini donkey, hilarious! I will definitely read the next one at some point. I read it on my new Kindle Fire (Christmas gift), and there was a good number of errors, I'm not sure if that's just because it was a kindle version of the book? One sentence was something like she called her mother and as usual it went right to email. I was confused for a second and then realized it was supposed to be voicemail. The mix-ups/errors were not enough to stop me from reading and enjoying the book. Sometimes if the story doesn't pull me in when there are a good number of errors I will quit reading the book. I enjoyed how accurate all the horse stuff was, nothing worse than reading a fiction book with horses only to have lots of stuff that isn't accurate.

When reading a mystery I do often try to figure out who might have done it, but I'm almost always wrong. This one was really tough to guess because the character that did it wasn't featured much, but I enjoyed the twists and info as it came along.

I was really laughing at Merry saying she would need 3 pairs of pantyhose to get through the day of the funeral in her dress, I wear a dress/skirt only for big events which is not very often and while I'm not that bad, I could relate.

 

[Kendra]

Just finished! I enjoyed it, and I'd love to read the rest of the series!

I read the print copy, Kim, and the editing certainly did leave a lot to be desired - I noticed missed punctuation, wrong names and yes, the email typo. I did spend quite a lot of time mentally editing while I read, but I think it's a credit to the strength of the story itself that I still enjoyed it.

I agree that it was very late in the story for the first introduction of the murderer, and I'm not sure about the switching from first to third person POV - a little jarring. I'm also not a fan of the super short chapters (usually I don't even notice chapter breaks, but these came so often I couldn't help it!) and the obvious "please keep reading" last sentences of each of the early chapters. Felt like an attempt to manufacture tension to me. ie - "Actually, I was the reason my mother walked with a cane." Same with the last sentence of the book ... but then maybe I don't read enough cozys, and it's a common device in the genre.

Okay, that all sounds like I didn't enjoy the book, I really did! The first chapter absolutely blew me away - I was right there at that runaway, and I was all teary by the time I found out the horse was all right. It was a very enjoyable read, all in all, and I'd like to spend more time with the characters.

 

[Jill]

How many other books are in the series? I'm gonna be checking that out!

 

[Riverrose28]

I suppose I'm going to be the odd woman out! I finished it last night after football was over. It was just OK. If I was a critic like with movies and four stars was excellent and one was OK, I'd give it one star and a half. Sorry to say, I never felt the intensity, sat on the edge of my seat, or felt that I couldn't put it down. I felt that the first chapter was good, but it went down hill after that. I can forgive the many mistakes, as I could read between the lines and it didn't hurt the story, but, I suppose I need something alittle more intense.

 

[KanoasDestiny]

I just finished reading it! I admit, I did not vote for this book - I don't usually read books that revolve around animals (unless you count werewolves

). However, I did really enjoy it. I especially liked the characters.

I noticed all of the mistakes too. Not that the mistakes made the book less enjoyable, they just kept standing out to me. I would definately read more of her mystery books. Susanne, have you read the other Mossy Creek books that led up to the mystery ones? From what I understand, the series is written by different women?

 

[lucky seven]

I finished it yesterday and enjoyed it. I never expected the killer to be her and thought most of the characters normal small town people with the usual flaws. Really like that mini donk and his big friend. I could believe her fear for driving because in a small way I'm afraid to try riding again because of my age. But why do the female leads always remind men of movie stars?

 

[susanne]

To be honest, I'm not a big fan of the mystery genre -- typically, I couldn't care less whodunnit. I enjoyed this book for its focus on carriage driving, and suggested it for that reason; I'll read her second in the series, One Hoof In the Grave, for the same reason, but I have yet to feel the need to buy it (too many other books waiting to be read). I'd love to find a really well-written novel set in the carriage driving world.

Ditto the lack of editing. Most annoying error in the book: Halflinger (obviously should be Haflinger).

I have not read the other Mossy Creek Books. I read and did NOT like McSperren's All God's Creatures -- poorly written and boring, and the title is too close to the beautiful James Herriott series.

 

[KanoasDestiny]

Lucky, I did not picture Merry as a Nicole Kidman look-alike. In fact, that description just seemed wrong to me.

Thanks Susanne. I was curious whether the characters in this book were also in the other books of the series.

 

[Kendra]

I think it was more that Geoff thought she was hot, so from his point of view she looked like a movie star ... I agree, it seemed a little odd though, made me re-evaluate my impression of Merry.

 

[Remali]

That's awesome Susanne! I hope my Bailey lives a long wonderful life like your Shadow did. Poodles are such great dogs, love heir personalities. What color was Shadow?

Well, due to the ever-continuing car repairs, and car woes I've been having... I won't be able to get out and pick up the January book of the month, what money I have left over is now going toward my car repairs, the car will have to repaired a little at a time as I can afford it, so it may take awhile. And, in the meantime I am without a car, and relying on friends for rides, and (occasionally) taxi cabs. Maybe in February I can get the next book?! One of these days things will stop breaking down, ha.

 

[susanne]

Shadow was solid black, but the top of his head began greying out at around 4 or 5. In recent years. The rest of his body remained black, but his "grey toupee" was nearly white in recent years.

I love poodles and poodle mixes. Shadow was so good with all of our animals, and they adored him; one cat, Santana, slept on top of Shadow with his front legs wrapped around him, and Shadow put up with it (and this cat is huge).

I, too, hope Bailey has a similarly long, healthy life -- I'd love to hear more about him.

To keep this book-related: if you ever get the chance, pick up a copy of Jacqueline Susann's Every Night, Josephine! Unlike her trashy fiction, this is the story of her character of a poodle, Josephine, and their life in New York City.

http://www.amazon.com/Every-Night-Josephine-Jacqueline-Susann/dp/B000BTH5CG/ref=la_B000AP9Q5A_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1358396387&sr=1-4

 

[Remali]

Interesting that Jacqueline Susann has a book out about her poodle, I would love to read that!

 

[MajorClementine]

Okay I haven't read any of this post because I haven't even started the book yet. I've been sacking on the book club. However, tonight I logged on, voted for next months genre, and looked up this months book. Then I checked online to see if my library had it. They did! So I loaded up my toddler son and we headed out in the freezing cold to the library. He was excited to get books and play on the climbing wall. Weren't we disappointed when we got there to discover, DUH! The library was closed for Martin Luther King Day. Crud, we were both bummed. So we're heading over first thing tomorrow.

I did look up the book on Amazon but I'm not willing to pay $10 to have it on my kindle when my library has it. It looks like a really good book though and I'm excited to read it and join the discussion.